Similar pumpkin stencils
View all stencils →About this stencil
Download the Baby Footprints pumpkin stencil as a free printable PDF, then tape the pattern to your pumpkin and trace the lines. Two tiny baby footprints, complete with individual toe circles, sit inside a gracefully flowing open-line heart on this pumpkin stencil for expecting parents. The footprint soles and toes are all cut away while the elegant swirling heart perimeter stays as a solid pumpkin-skin border. Carve all ten toe circles before cutting the foot soles, since the toe holes are easiest to punch cleanly when the surrounding wall is still undisturbed. It works as a carving template for a Halloween jack-o'-lantern or a fall porch display. It is rated Beginner-friendly. Estimated time: 60-90 minutes. Actual time varies with preparation, pumpkin size and experience. Larger shapes and shorter cuts. An adult should handle sharp carving tools.
Pumpkin size guide
- 🎃 Small (5 to 7"): print at 80%
- 🎃 Medium (7 to 10"): print at 100% (recommended)
- 🎃 Large (11 to 13"): print at 130%
- 🎃 Giant (14"+): print at 150% on tabloid paper
Frequently asked questions
Can I resize this stencil?▾
Yes. The PDF is vector so it scales cleanly. Print the pattern at 100% for a 7 to 10 inch pumpkin, 130% for 11 to 13 inch, or 150% for a giant. Use your printer's "Fit to page" or "Custom scale" setting.
What kind of paper works best?▾
Standard 20 lb letter or A4 printer paper is fine. Heavier paper is harder to bend around the pumpkin curve. If your printer supports it, set the quality to 'best' so the lines are crisp.
How long will the carved pumpkin last?▾
Usually 5 to 10 days. Coat all cut surfaces with petroleum jelly and store the pumpkin somewhere cool overnight. Avoid direct sun. Battery LED pumpkin lights produce no heat and help it last longer.
Can I sell pumpkins carved with this stencil?▾
Yes, the carved pumpkin you make is yours. The license covers personal and small-scale commercial carving (selling carved pumpkins, photographing them, posting on social). You may not resell the PDF file itself.
What if my printer doesn't print the whole stencil?▾
Set 'Page scaling' to 'Fit' in the print dialog and uncheck 'Auto-rotate'. If it still cuts off, the design includes 0.25" of safe-area margin so a small crop won't ruin it.
How to carve this stencil
This is a cut-through stencil: the gray areas on the printable pattern are the pieces you remove, and everything white stays attached. The steps below give you the safest carving order. Plan on about 60-90 minutes from print to candle.
Set up first. Print the PDF at 100% scale on letter or A4 paper. Cut the lid at an angle, scoop the pumpkin clean, and thin the carving wall to about 1 inch where the design will sit. Tape the pattern on (snip small darts in the paper so it hugs the curve) and transfer every outline by poking dots along the lines, about one every 1/8 inch. Peel the paper away and carve dot to dot with short, straight strokes.
Carving order
- Punch out all ten toes. Start with the small toe circles arcing above each footprint. Drill or saw each little circle while the wall is untouched; they cut cleanest with full support around them.
- Cut the two foot soles. Remove the left sole, then the right one, keeping the white gaps between each sole and its toes intact. Support each sole plug as you finish its last edge.
- Cut the left heart stroke. Cut the long curving crescent that forms the left half of the heart, working from the top lobe down to the bottom point. The strip is thin at both ends, so use light strokes and never pry with the blade.
- Cut the right heart stroke last. Finish with the right crescent, again working from the lobe toward the tail. Leave a small tab at its widest point until the rest of the stroke is cut, then support the strip and free it gently; the white gap at the top of the heart must stay intact.
Clear loose fibers out of each opening as you go, and never twist or pry the blade against the shell; back it out and recut instead. When every piece is out, wipe the cut edges dry and drop in a battery LED puck.
Tools you'll need
For a beginner-friendly carve like this you'll want a paring knife, spoon / scoop, marker, and led pumpkin light. Here's the kit we reach for, but start with whatever you already own.
Elmchee Pumpkin Carving Kit
13-piece kit with carrying case
Saws for the larger cutouts, plus a scoop for hollowing. Covers both jobs in one kit.
View on Amazon ↗
HOME MOST LED Pumpkin Lights
4-pack, battery operated, with remote + timer
Orange glow made for jack-o'-lanterns. The remote and timer light the pumpkin every evening without reaching inside.
View on Amazon ↗
Speedball 4131 Lino Cutter Set
Handle + 5 interchangeable cutters
Interchangeable cutters for peeling and shading the face. Useful for the finer details.
View on Amazon ↗
Reviews from carvers
Every rating comes from a written review by someone who downloaded this stencil.
Carved this one?
Reviews are open to carvers who downloaded the stencil. Grab the free PDF, then come back and tell everyone how it went.
Community Pumpkin Carving Ideas
Carving ideas that use stencils like this one.
Related stencils
More patterns with a related subject. Compare their skill levels before you choose.
Beginner-friendlyBaby Footprints Heart Pumpkin Stencil
Two cartoon baby footprints sit side by side inside a swirling open-line heart outline on this easy hearts pumpkin stencil. The footprints are pierced through entirely, while the thin looping heart border and the zigzag crack detail beneath are left as solid bridges of pumpkin skin. The ten small toe circles are the trickiest cuts: carve them with a small round detail bit or the tip of a narrow blade, and do them before removing the larger foot cutouts so the surrounding wall stays rigid.
Beginner-friendlyI Heart Florida
A bold I sits beside a big full heart, with the letters F and L stacked underneath, spelling out Florida love in thick serif type. The heart and all three letters are cut completely through for a bright, readable message after dark. This easy carve suits first-time letter cutters; keep the serifs slightly chunky rather than trimming them thin, and cut the heart's inner notch before removing the rest of the shape.
Beginner-friendlyI Heart Mississippi
This hometown tribute stacks I heart on the top line and MS below in thick block letters, with a plump heart doing the talking. Each letter and the heart are pierced as separate bold shapes with plenty of shell between them, keeping the wall strong. For this easy design, cut the S from the center outward in two hooked passes so its curves stay even, then finish with the heart.
Beginner-friendlyI Heart New Jersey
Show some Garden State love with this bold lettering design: the word I, a big glowing heart, and the letters N and J stacked in a classic two-row layout, all pierced fully through the pumpkin wall. The chunky serif letters are forgiving for an easy carve; cut each letter stroke as its own piece rather than one big chunk, and save the J's curved hook for last since its tail is the thinnest part.
Beginner-friendlyI Heart Michigan
A big I, a solid heart, and the letters MI glow in two stacked rows, spelling out hometown pride for the Great Lakes State. Every letter and the heart are cut fully through, with thick serif strokes that hold up well in a real pumpkin wall. It is an easy carve for tailgates and porch season; transfer the letters with a poked outline so the baselines stay level.
Beginner-friendlyI Heart Indiana
A classic love-note layout carved in glowing letters: a bold capital I beside a big heart on the top row, with the letters I and N spelling Indiana's abbreviation below. All four elements are pierced through, and the chunky serif letterforms keep every stroke wide and sturdy. This easy design just needs straight, confident cuts; trace the letter edges with a fine tip first, then saw along the lines so the serifs stay square.